


Safe at Home

by lindenrosetps



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman Beyond
Genre: Bruce Wayne is a Good Dad, Fluff, Found Family Bingo, GUG AU, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, terry mcginnis is a good brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:53:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27552622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lindenrosetps/pseuds/lindenrosetps
Summary: There's nothing like a brother or a father to be there for you when you have a bad dream.In which Terry and Matt both have nightmares and Bruce comforts them.
Relationships: Terry McGinnis & Bruce Wayne, Terry McGinnis & Bruce Wayne & Matt McGinnis, Terry McGinnis & Matt McGinnis
Comments: 5
Kudos: 33
Collections: Found Family Bingo





	Safe at Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [screaming_seagull](https://archiveofourown.org/users/screaming_seagull/gifts), [stained_glass_queen7](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stained_glass_queen7/gifts).



> This fic is part of the GUG Universe. Both Terry and Matt have escaped their jerk of a Bruce when they fell through portals into the GUG Universe. Bruce, of course, promptly adopted them.

Terry tossed and turned restlessly, images flooding his mind.

_ Dana, carried away from him in a wave of rats. Max, attacking him to get back to the virtual reality world that had claimed her mind. The boy who’d been kidnapped because he’d taken off his mask. Melanie, pleading with him as she was dragged back into a playing card.  _

His fault. All his fault. He hadn’t done enough, fought hard enough,  _ been  _ enough. He’d let them all down.

Terry sat up in a cold sweat, gasping for breath. Bruce murmured and stirred beside him but settled back down without waking. “Just a dream,” muttered Terry, running his hand through his hair. “Just a dream, just a dream, just a dream…”

“Terry?” came a small voice from the doorway. Matt stumbled up to the bed and began pulling himself up on it, his eyes brimming with tears.

“Matt!” Terry instantly scooped him up and leaned back, cradling him against his chest. “Hey, twip. What’s going on?”

“I had a bad dream.”

“Bad dream, huh?” Terry combed his fingers through Matt’s tangled black hair. “There’s a lot of that going around. You wanna talk about it?”

Matt shuddered, hiding his face in Terry’s shirt.

“You don’t have to, but it can help the scary go away.”

“Bad Bruce,” whispered Matt. “He-he was back and he was gonna take you away from me and you were gonna get hurt and D-Dad was sad and…”

“Shhh, shhhh. It’s okay, Matty. Bad Bruce can’t get us here.”

“How do you know?”

“Because he can’t open portals.”

“Besides,” said Bruce, sitting up and opening his arms. “I would never let him hurt you. Ever again.”

Terry nestled against him as Bruce pulled the boys close. “When’d you wake up?”

“Just now.”

“Are you sure he can’t get us?” said Matt.

“Of course, baby. And you know what would happen if he tried?”

“What?”

“I would stop him before he ever got close.” Bruce put on his deep, gravelly voice, causing Matt to giggle. “Because I’m Batman.”

“But he’s Batman.”

“We’ve got the better Batman,” said Terry.

Bruce blinked back a tear, smiling fondly at the boys. “Besides, there’s plenty of other heroes to protect you. We have your Auntie Pam and Auntie Selina and Auntie Harley and the Flash and Wonder Woman and Green Lantern and Plastic Man and so many others.”

“Plastic chicken?”

“...what?”

“He’s a plastic chicken.”

Terry laughed, ruffling his hair. “You’re a plastic chicken.”

“No, I’m not! I don’t stretch! An’ I don’t fly!”

Bruce pressed a kiss in his hair. “See? They can’t get you here.”

Matt nodded, snuggling closer. “Because of Batman and the plastic chicken.”

“That’s right. You’re safe.” Bruce began to sing Brahm’s Lullaby softly, stroking Matt’s hair. Within seconds, he was fast asleep.

“Thanks, Bruce,” said Terry.

“Of course, love. Do you want to talk about it?”

“Talk about what?”

“You’ve been crying again. Bad dreams?”

Terry sighed, nestling against him. “They’re better now.”

“I’m always here if you need me. Always.” Bruce kissed his forehead gently. “I love you, Firefinch.”

“I-I love you too, B.” Terry’s voice cracked as he curled himself around him. “So much.”

He hadn’t intended to sleep again that night but he found himself drifting off anyways, lulled by the steady breathing of Bruce and Matt and the knowledge that nothing could hurt them here. For the first time in a long time, he didn’t have to run and fight and  _ try _ . He was safe.


End file.
